Getting a gift for Father’s Day (reminder: it’s Sunday, June 15) is no easy task. What more could the dad in your life need other than your unconditional love? Turns out, physical gifts—preferably something useful or entertaining—are exactly what he needs to escape the hellscape that is our current timeline. Like we did for Mother’s Day, we’ve curated a selection of the finest tech to get your favorite dad. With options for budgets under $100, under $300, under $500, and over $500, we’re sure pops will like something from this list.
Gifts Under $100
Anker 6-Foot USB-C Cable ($10)
Nothing screams “man of the house” like a 6-foot USB-C cable that can probably reach any outlet from the couch. For $10, you get two of ’em. Gotta keep the phone charged up when the commercials on the big screen hit.
8BitDo USB Wireless Adapter 2 ($20)
It’ll feel wrong at first to use a PS5 controller to play Xbox and vice versa, but it beats buying a completely new gamepad when you can just pair existing ones to your consoles using this USB dongle. The 8BitDo USB Wireless Adapter 2 even works with Switch, so dad can play Super Smash Bros. Ultimate with a PS5 or Xbox controller.
Apple in China: The Capture of the World’s Greatest Company ($30)
Whether dad loves Apple or hates it, the company’s sheer scale producing devices like the iPhone and iPad unexpectedly gave birth to China’s technology scene and helped give rise to its largest Asian competitors such as Xiaomi and Huawei. Apple in China is a fascinating dive into how Apple’s growth has made the world go round.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 ($50)
It’s the talk of the gaming scene for good reason. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 offers a feast for the eyes and ears, and a wonderful story wrapped in gameplay that feels new while scratching the itch of any dad still nostalgic for early Final Fantasy titles.
Arcs ($60)
Leder Games’ Arcs is the kind of board game that does so much in such a small space. It’s a trick-taking conquest game about gaining space supremacy in the vein of 4X games on PC. If you want to make it extra spicy, also buy the Blighted Reach expansion to connect multiple games into epic, multi-session storylines.
Anbernic 34XXSP ($67)
Anbernic’s latest Game Boy Advance SP mimic is the kind of device that will put a smile on the face of any dad who grew up with a Game Boy in tow. The 34XXSP is powerful enough to play most games from early handhelds, and even a select few games from the N64 or Dreamcast era.
SETI: Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence ($70)
SETI: Search for Extraterrestrial Life is one of those games that will get both the space-loving and mechanics-minded dads excited to sit at the table with you. It’s a game that will run for several hours, but it ends with such an epic climax that everyone will be jonesing for another round anyway.
Xbox Design Lab Controller ($80)
That skin oil-worn controller he’s using to play Xbox may work just fine, but that doesn’t mean he wouldn’t love an upgrade. Microsoft’s Design Lab is full of unique customization options—from colors to patterns to grips and more.
YouTube TV ($82/mo.)
If your dad is among the sports-inclined, then you may want to hook him up with a subscription to YouTube TV. It’s not cheap, but it does come with all the networks he’d need to stream any sport he wants, including ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox, and TNT.
Gifts Under $300
Backbone One ($100)
A quality mobile controller may be the perfect gift if he has ever complained about aching thumbs while trying to play a game on a phone. Our current choice remains the Backbone One, but if you want to spend more, the Backbone Pro is a good upgrade with tighter controls.
Govee Gaming Pixel Light ($120)
Your dad deserves to jazz up his decor beyond bland paintings you can find at a thrift shop. The Govee Gaming Pixel Light lets the man in your life add his favorite 8-bit art (32×32 pixels) to his wall.
Razer Pro Click V2 Vertical Edition ($120)
Logitech’s Lift is the go-to for vertical mice, but if your dad wants one for gaming, Razer’s Pro Click V2 Vertical is the only way to go. Not only does it come with a more ergonomic design, but it also has more programmable buttons, faster polling rates for gaming, and RGB—gotta have RGB for dad to prove he’s a real gamer.
Nothing Ear ($130)
There are a lot of wireless earbuds out there, but not everyone (dads included) is okay with defaulting to AirPods. Nothing’s Ear, with its ceramic drivers, is fantastic for a dad who needs great audio with a style that’s just a little bit different than most.
Klipsch One Plus Premium ($170)
Without making any assumptions about your dad, there’s a chance that he may appreciate tech that’s a little more analog. Klipsch’s Bluetooth speaker brings great sound but also a slick mid-century design with knobs to boot—a design that combines modern tech with a vintage look.
Lego Mario Kart ($170)
What better way to spend time with a dad than over a Lego set? Even better is when that Lego set is a giant Mario riding a go-kart. “It’s-a-me-Mario!” voice not included.
Shun Classic Chef Knife ($170)
This isn’t the most high-tech product on this list, but it may be among the most practical. We can say with conviction that dad will never struggle with carving a bird ever again if you give the gift of Japanese steel.
Polaroid Flip ($200)
The Polaroid Flip is all nostalgia wrapped in a retro veneer, and it’s now one of the better ways to take full-size instant photos at home. The camera is a hefty device, so dad may feel like a big, strong man lugging it around.
Flipper Zero ($200)
The hardware-hacking dad in your life interested in his next DIY project would be absolutely thrilled to have the Flipper Zero. It’s a signal multitool that can connect with various RFID and other radio protocols, plus the GPIO pins and custom firmware can be used to create a whole host of interesting use cases.
Boox Palma ($246)
Kindles and Kobo e-readers are great for reading ebooks, but they don’t fit into pockets. The Boox Palma is exactly the solution—a phone-sized e-reader that runs Android apps (though using it for anything more than ebooks is slow AF) that dad can actually grip with one hand.
Meater Pro XL ($280)
Grill dads who don’t want to stand by the open flame constantly for every cookout will appreciate the Meater Pro XL. The device’s four smart meat probes will let him monitor the temperatures and finish times for multiple meals through a single app, which means no more sprinting back and forth between oven and grill.
Gifts Under $500
Meta Quest 3S ($300)
Has your dad ever expressed any interest in VR, or even doing some at-home workouts? Set him up with the Quest 3S, and he won’t need anything more.
Philips Hue Play Sync Box ($334)
If your dad needs an upgrade to his entertainment system, Philips’ Hue Play Sync Box has him covered. This tiny box can coordinate the lighting of a movie with Hue smart lights and syncs TV content at 8K 60Hz and 4K 120Hz for a unique home theater experience.
Google Pixel Watch 3 ($350)
Everyone has an Apple Watch. Let dad feel different with the Google Pixel Watch. It tracks almost everything an Apple Watch does, including health and fitness, and the battery life is excellent. The only caveat is that it works with Android phones, not iPhones.
Meta Ray-Bans ($350)
Smart glasses might seem like an overboard gift if dad isn’t tech-inclined, but Meta’s Ray-Bans might be the right ratio of tech-to-style goodness. They have a classic look and are surprisingly nice for Bluetooth audio.
Breville Paradice 9 ($395)
Don’t fault dad if his knife skills are subpar. Fortunately, a high-powered food processor like the Breville Paradice 9 can slice and dice just about any ingredient more evenly and faster. Technology saves time! Who’d have thunk it?
Sony WH-1000XM8 ($448)
Whether it’s blocking out a crying baby or angsty teenager, Sony’s latest WH-1000XM6 over-ear headphones deliver best-in-class active noise cancellation. Bonus points: they fold up neatly and come with a case that doesn’t look like a bra (looking at you AirPods Max Smart Case).
Gifts Over $500
Xreal One ($500)
Maybe some lucky dads will get a $3,500 Apple Vision Pro for Father’s Day, but if all dad needs is a pair of video glasses for watching Netflix and YouTube, Xreal’s One is more than good enough and stupid easy to setup (just plug it into any device that supports USB-C video out). They’re barely larger than a pair of sunglasses, the 1080p video is super sharp, and the screens even dim for a see-through effect.
reMarkable Paper Pro ($680)
If you’re gonna get dad an e-reader and can splurge for the very best, the reMarkable Paper Pro is the one to get. It’s got a color E Ink screen that’s great for reading comics, supports a stylus for notetaking, and you can even get a keyboard folio case for it.
Unagi Model One Voyager ($990)
Fixed-gear bikes are so passé. Give the gift of electric mobility with Unagi’s One Voyager scooter, which combines solid speed and range with an easy one-click folding design.
